Sh4 win7 freeze

[bugs]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

Yes it might be.....but bugs has said he's taken care of any remnants.

AVGWarhawk has this "sticky" thread called "How to re-install SH4!", which tells you what to look for in the Registry for deletion.




First off....don't use the short-cut desk top icon to start the game. Go to your main game folder and start the game using the following circled icon:




I don't understand this at all bugs........you say the game is running in the task manager. Do you also have the game icon displayed along the "toolbar", at the bottom of the Windows screen??





If so, double clicking the toolbars "SilentHunter4" icon doesn't take you to the game?!

If the game is running.....this icon should be displayed along the bottom of the screen, in the "Toolbar". If it's not displayed....the game isn't running. Or, at least your Windows7 isn't properly set to run the game.


=============


Just one more thing to try. IF you have the icon along the Toolbar, yet nothing happens after double clicking it. Try loading the Large Address Aware app and getting the "sh4.exe" to recognize the added/available RAM memory you have with your system.

LAA comes in a compressed file. Extract it to a folder you make under the C:/ folder (I called the new folder "Large Address Aware").

Don't just open the compressed file and try to work the magic within the compressed file. "Extract" it to this new folder....then, open LAA. If the procedure goes as expected, a "settings.sav" file is made with your having LAA do its thing.




To make sure LAA has allowed the game to use more than its default RAM memory of 2 gigs....if you open the Large Address Aware app, go to "Mode", then "Advanced"...... you'll see the above window. The path of the "sh4.exe" is displayed, with the heading LAA having the "True" entry. This shows your game is prepared to use the extra memory your system has.

Since you said your Win7 is 32 bit...you'll need to make an adjustment to your computer BEFORE you have LAA do its thing. This comes from the LAA thread:



With a 32 bit Operating System, this switch needs to be thrown for the later added LAA to take effect. 64 bit OS don't need to do this at all. With a 32 bit OS you'll get to use 3 gig's of your 4 gig system, a 64 bit OS would allow up to 4 gigs to be used with the game.

I can tell you this really works!!

My 4 gig Vista OS 64 bit computer CTD when running the "Battle of Midway" Single Mission after about 20 minutes. Too many ships, explosions, planes I guess. Putting the LAA to work....making sure the LAA was loaded with the "True" entry.....no more CTD!!

Could be your game just won't start without it....just a thought.

LAA loaded
Sh4 was not there, i added it LAA false ,Original false
nothing was there

[CapnScurvy]

LAA loaded
Sh4 was not there, i added it LAA false ,Original false
nothing was there

So, your saying the toolbar doesn't have the games icon (like pictured below) in it.....then the game isn't loaded.




======================


In order for the LAA to work, you need to have the Advanced mode menu showing the Path of the sh4.exe file to be marked as "True" not "False". The Original heading marked "False" is ok (the original game doesn't have the Large Address Aware switch thrown), BUT, the LAA heading will turn from "False" to "True" when the application makes the game use the added memory.

If you can't get the LAA heading switched from false to true, do this:

Right click the sh4.exe file icon (not a short-cut version...the one found in the Wolves of the Pacific main game folder). Open the Properties menu item. You'll find the below looking menu page:




On the "General" menu tab, the "Attributes" section probably has the "Read-only" box checkmarked (I think the stock game sets it this way). Uncheck it (as the picture shows), Click "Apply", then OK to close out the Properties menu page. Go back to the LAA application and open it. Try switching the sh4.exe file from False to True now. This Attributes/Read-only change should allow for the LAA to have a "True" setting for the sh4.exe file.

[bugs]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

So, your saying the toolbar doesn't have the games icon (like pictured below) in it.....then the game isn't loaded.




======================


In order for the LAA to work, you need to have the Advanced mode menu showing the Path of the sh4.exe file to be marked as "True" not "False". The Original heading marked "False" is ok (the original game doesn't have the Large Address Aware switch thrown), BUT, the LAA heading will turn from "False" to "True" when the application makes the game use the added memory.

If you can't get the LAA heading switched from false to true, do this:

Right click the sh4.exe file icon (not a short-cut version...the one found in the Wolves of the Pacific main game folder). Open the Properties menu item. You'll find the below looking menu page:




On the "General" menu tab, the "Attributes" section probably has the "Read-only" box checkmarked (I think the stock game sets it this way). Uncheck it (as the picture shows), Click "Apply", then OK to close out the Properties menu page. Go back to the LAA application and open it. Try switching the sh4.exe file from False to True now. This Attributes/Read-only change should allow for the LAA to have a "True" setting for the sh4.exe file.

that worked i got them switched to true
game still no go
no icon on tool bar

[aanker]

CapnScurvy did you need to enter a registration or activation key when installing Gold?

I needed to enter an activation key with 1.0. however I bought through D2D and have never had a problem - so I know nothing about DVD installing.

This problem bugs is having almost sounds like a registry entry is still hanging around....

If so, uninstalling through add remove programs in Win 7 and deleting all references to SH4 in the registry as described:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=133290

Bugs says he did this though......

I'm staying out of this, don't want to confuse him - I want to help, that's why I asked about the activation key. Bugs has never said if he needed to enter one. If it is needed and he wasn't asked for one. the uninstall may not have removed all traces.

I'm checking this thread, but I'm stumped.

[CapnScurvy]

Yes Aanker, the DVD Gold Edition has a CD-Key on the included default keyboard commands pamphlet. Starts with "SH4-0Y0N-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx". Its asked for during the install wizard, much like the original DVD for version 1.0.

What's really puzzling is this LAA install. The fact that he needed to open the sh4.exe file; change the Attributes setting from Read-only; and then LAA correctly set the game to become large address aware (with a "True" result) means the game is installed on his computer. The LAA app found the file, correctly read the Properties, and then confirmed its modification for accessing more available memory. Sounds like the game is installed allright......but why isn't it loading.....or may be it is, but the game isn't being displayed while running?!

Not being a Windows 7 user, I'm not able to look through the OS for possible clues as to why its doing this. I might take a look at Microsoft support to see if there's something about programs not running as expected.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by aanker

This problem bugs is having almost sounds like a registry entry is still hanging around....

If so, uninstalling through add remove programs in Win 7 and deleting all references to SH4 in the registry as described:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=133290

Bugs says he did this though......

This process isn't cut and dried, though. The procedure outlined at the beginning of the thread is for an earlier version of the game. Most people use some kind of uninstaller, instead of trying to hunt down registry keys one by one. These programs are not guaranteed to be foolproof; they're known to miss things, and there is no easy way to verify everything is gone.

The last time I uninstalled SH4, I used GeekUninstaller, and CCleaner. I don't claim they are better than any others, but they seemed to work for me.

[CapnScurvy]

I just finished a Google search for "Windows 7 program won't start" and found this, "Windows 7 won't launch programs".

There's two methods that could trouble shoot this problem. The first has you running in Safe Mode and checking for conflicts. The second has you following these steps for: "Can't open .exe files in Windows 7" by opening the registry and changing a few things.

Guess it wouldn't hurt to follow some of these methods to see what happens.

==================

On an additional note bugs, we hadn't gotten into the possibility that your computer may be infected with a virus. No one asked what kind of virus protection you have; whether you've checked your computer for virus's lately? Nor, do we know if you've got an updated virus list for checking.

In this same thought, do you also have the latest updates for Windows 7? I see there's a Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 7.

Could be we're looking up the wrong tree suspecting the game has a problem when the computer might be to blame.

I was continuing to look for solutions and ran across this Windows Support question: "You cannot start programs when your computer is infected with the SirCam virus". Seems the very same solutions that I found earlier are directly connected to this specific virus.

[aanker]

Thanks for replying re activation code & Gold. CapnScurvy - I like the check for a virus idea, nice detective work.

Originally Posted by TorpX

...... I used GeekUninstaller, and CCleaner. I don't claim they are better than any others, but they seemed to work for me.

I like these a lot too, especially CCleaner - sorry for going OT

[bugs]

Originally Posted by aanker

Thanks for replying re activation code & Gold. CapnScurvy - I like the check for a virus idea, nice detective work.

I like these a lot too, especially CCleaner - sorry for going OT

clean boot no help
complete virus scan yesterday, norton, nothing but cookies
sircam virus not found, reg. correct
win 7.1 sp

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by bugs

clean boot no help
complete virus scan yesterday, norton, nothing but cookies
sircam virus not found, reg. correct
win 7.1 sp

Man o man, I'm stumped too!!

Have you been able to run other programs with your computer? Like Word, or maybe another game? Does this problem only happen when trying to start SH4?

[aanker]

Do you have any other heavy graphics card intensive games bugs?

I suppose they run fine....... if not, PcPitstop:

http://www.pcpitstop.com/

They used to check the graphics card for free, I haven't been there in a while. If they do, that would rule the card out. I'll go there and see if they still do. BRB.......

They do, if your card runs those graphics, it is fine.

I didn't need to create an account either, so it is simple too.

[bugs]

Originally Posted by aanker

Do you have any other heavy graphics card intensive games bugs?

I suppose they run fine....... if not, PcPitstop:

http://www.pcpitstop.com/

They used to check the graphics card for free, I haven't been there in a while. If they do, that would rule the card out. I'll go there and see if they still do. BRB.......

They do, if your card runs those graphics, it is fine.

I didn't need to create an account either, so it is simple too.

only 4 games
Sh4 was my first try
Railroad tycoon loaded fine
Comand & conquer loaded fine
Tropico loaded fine
no problem with anything else
still looking everwhere
trying everything i can think of
updating what i can

[aanker]

You haven't had to enter a registration number/letters for SH4 yet.... might be good news.

Maybe toss this idea out and see what the guys think.

How about zipping up what SH4 mod files you have and move them someplace safe, and do an uninstall of SH4 through add/remove programs. Also remove Save Games SH4 folder in My Documents.... also any folders in your C:\a sub game folder.

Next run CCleaner (free) - Just a 'regular cleaning' with default settings.... the broom icon
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Then remove all traces of Silent Hunter using Ccleaner again by cleaning your registry with Ccleaner (backup registry when it asks you), then try to install SH4 Gold fresh.

What do you guys think?????

[TorpX]

I don't have any better ideas.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by aanker

How about zipping up what SH4 mod files you have and move them someplace safe, and do an uninstall of SH4 through add/remove programs. Also remove Save Games SH4 folder in My Documents.... also any folders in your C:\a sub game folder.

Next run CCleaner (free) - Just a 'regular cleaning' with default settings.... the broom icon
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Then remove all traces of Silent Hunter using Ccleaner again by cleaning your registry with Ccleaner (backup registry when it asks you), then try to install SH4 Gold fresh.

Yes, I'd try that but wouldn't bother with saving any of my mod files.

After a complete uninstall (including the Documents/SH4 folder); then cleaning the Registry; then a new reinstall, I wouldn't be too quick in putting back anything that was left over from the first game experience. I think (just for superstition sake ) I'd re download everything (I like saving the compressed downloads....to go back to later if needed), including JSGME, once I was sure the game will launch.

Probably wouldn't hurt standing on one leg, and whistle Dixie either!!